A 5-year-old Colorado girl was hospitalized with serious injuries after she was attacked by a bear early Sunday outside her home.

The attack happened near Grand Junction, about 240 miles west of Denver.

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The girl’s mother told state wildlife officers that her daughter went outside around 2:30 a.m. to investigate noises she thought might be related to her dog. The mother said she then heard screaming and went out to find her daughter being dragged by a large black bear. She says the bear dropped the girl after she began screaming at the animal.

“She came out ... she yelled at the animal,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesperson Mike Porras told KDVR. “She screamed at it— and by doing so— she probably saved her little girl’s life.”

Colorado Parks and Wildlife says officers are tracking the bear with the help of federal wildlife officers.

“The goal is to trap the bear, and if we do, we are going to put that bear down,” Porras explained.

Monday morning, doctors at St. Mary’s Medical Center said the girl is currently in good condition. She was bitten multiple times and required 77 stitches.

“Fortunately, she had no life-threatening injuries,” Dr. Charles Breaux said. “No injuries to her brain or chest organs or abdominal organs and no fractures.”

Doctors will continue to monitor the child to make sure she doesn't have rabies.